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Tamagotchi Nano
Tamagotchi Nano (たまごっちナノ or たまごっちnano) is a small version of the Tamagotchi launched in 2010. It was then later reintroduced in 2017 as a crossover theme Tamagotchi release.
At first, only the first 2 toys were called “Tamagotchi Nano,” but the company still called all the later ones “Nano” behind the scenes. In August 2021, Bandai decided to officially use the Nano name for all of these. By April 2024, there were 38 different Tamagotchi Nanos.
In 2024, they came out with a new version called the Tamagotchi Nano Colorful. This one has a color screen instead of just black and white, and you can charge its battery instead of replacing it.
Design
The Tamagotchi Nano is a miniature Tamagotchi. It’s about 1.57 inches (or 4 centimeters) tall. It’s shaped more like an egg and is a bit thicker than a regular Tamagotchi. It’s also a little bigger than the Tamagotchi Mini.
The front has a drop-shaped frame around the screen with 3 buttons below it. The screen is set deep into the toy. The back has a battery cover with a cracked pattern on the sides. At the bottom, there’s either a tab you can press or a screw, depending on which model you have. Most Nanos use 2 small LR44 batteries just like the classic Tamagotchi.
The speaker is on the top of the back. There are 2 screws to open it, but they’re covered by plastic tabs you have to break to get to them. The “Reset” button is on the top right of the back. The newer Nano Colorful models have a built-in battery you can charge with a USB cable.
The first Tamagotchi Nanos had a special crystal-like frame, but they stopped using that design. The Pac-Man and Hello Kitty Tamagotchis look a bit different from the Japanese ones. Their front part is all one piece, which lets them print designs over the whole front.
The screen on most Nanos is 24×24 pixels, but newer ones from the Gudetama Tamagotchi on have a wider 30×24 pixel screen. The Nano Colorful has a color screen that’s 128×128 pixels.
The first 2 Tamagotchi Nanos had different background patterns printed on them. Some special ones made for the Tamagotchi Department Store had the store’s logo as the background. The newer ones based on other popular things don’t have printed backgrounds.
There are 3 different types of chains used on these toys. The normal one has round and oval beads. The Pac-Man and Hello Kitty ones use a chain with small, round beads. Many of the newer ones use a chain with bigger round beads.
Most of these toys were made in China, but some newer ones were made in Vietnam/ The menus on the screen usually use Japanese or English words. But newer models use pictures for the menu choices instead of words. This way, they can sell the same toy all over the world without having to change the language.
Watch a commercial for the Hello Kitty Tamagotchi Nano:
Gameplay
Growing Up
When you start the Tamagotchi Nano, a baby Tamagotchi is born. On some older models, you see an egg that hatches after a minute. Newer ones show a special starting animation instead.
Your pet grows based on how well you take care of it and how good you are at playing games. Usually, it takes 24 hours before it changes into its next form. Some models have secret forms your pet can turn into if you do certain things.
Buttons
The Tamagotchi Nano has 3 buttons: A, B, and C. There are no pictures on the screen to show what to do, so you use the buttons for everything.
Your pet has 2 needs: Hunger and Happiness. Each need has 4 levels. When your pet is born, both are empty. The Hunger level goes down by one every hour, and the Happiness level goes down every 50 minutes. If either gets empty, your pet will call for help.
Press C to see what your pet needs. If it’s hungry, you’ll see a dizzy spiral. If it’s unhappy, you’ll see sulking lines.
Press A to open the main menu. The first option is for food, the second is for games. Meals fill one Hunger level, and snacks fill one Happiness level.
Your pet sleeps at night. Babies sleep at 8 PM, adults at 10 PM. All pets wake up at 7 AM.
Press A and C together to turn the sound on or off. Press B to see the clock. You can set the time by pressing A and C together when the clock is showing.
Games
Older models had just 1 game. Newer ones usually have at least 2 games. Playing games makes your pet happier. If you win, it fills one Happiness level. If you play perfectly, it fills two levels. The games you play might affect how your pet grows up.
There are different types of games:
- Catch/Dodge: Move left or right to catch or avoid things.
- Dance: Press buttons in the right order.
- Slots: Try to match three pictures.
- Dash: Press A really fast for 15 seconds.
- Targeting: Press a button at just the right time.
- Drive: Move up and down to catch or avoid things.
Problems
Sometimes your pet might poop or its room might get dirty. You can’t feed or play with your pet until you fix these problems by pressing A. If you don’t take care of your pet for a long time, it might get sick or sad. You need to press A twice to make it feel better.
Special Moments
At certain times of the day, your pet might do something special. These moments are different for each type of Tamagotchi Nano and are based on what it’s themed after.
Ending
After a while, your pet will leave you. Each model has its own special way of saying goodbye. Some have a “good” ending and a “bad” ending. After your pet leaves, you can start over with a new baby pet by pressing A and C together.
Releases
Original Tamagotchi Nano Versions
| Name | Release Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tamagotchi Nano | October 2010 | First version, released in Japan |
| Tamagotchi Nano (2nd version) | June 2011 | New characters, released in Japan |
Special Themed Tamagotchi Nano Versions
| Name | Release Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pocket Usatama | April 2017 | Tokyo Disney exclusive |
| Gudetama Tamagotchi | 2017-2019 | Based on Sanrio character |
| Eevee Tamagotchi | January 2019 | Based on Pokemon character |
| Pocket Usapiyo | April 2019 | Tokyo Disney Sea exclusive |
| Pac-Man Tamagotchi | March 2020 | Features Pac-Man character |
| Evatchi | 2020-2021 | Based on Neon Genesis Evangelion |
| Demon Slayer Tamagotchi | 2020-2022 | Three versions based on anime |
| Hello Kitty Tamagotchi | 2020, 2024 | Features Hello Kitty |
| Jordy Tamagotchi | December 2020 | South Korea exclusive |
| Extellatchi | February 2021 | Based on Fate video game |
| Twistetchi | June 2021 | Based on Disney mobile game |
| BT21 Tamagotchi | 2021-2022 | Based on BTS characters |
| PUI PUI Molcartchi | 2021, 2023 | Two versions, guinea pig cars |
| R2-D2 Tamagotchi | November 2021 | Star Wars themed |
| Kamen Ridertchi | 2021-2022 | Based on masked hero TV show |
| Jujutsutchi | 2022, 2023 | Two versions, based on anime |
| Toy Story Tamagotchi | 2022 | Based on Pixar movies |
| Jurassic World Tamagotchi | 2022-2023 | Dinosaur themed |
| Tourabutchi | August 2022 | Based on Touken Ranbu game |
| TinyTAN Tamagotchi | Late 2022 | Also BTS themed |
| Kingdom Hearts Tamagotchi | Late 2022 | Disney/Square Enix game themed |
| Spy x Family Tamagotchi | 2022-2023 | Based on spy anime |
| Grogu Tamagotchi | January 2023 | Baby Yoda themed |
| Choppertchi | 2023 | One Piece character themed |
| Torevetchi | 2023 | Tokyo Revengers themed |
| Hatsune Mikutchi | March 2023 | Virtual singer themed |
| Harry Potter Tamagotchi | July 2023 | Wizard themed |
| Crayon Shin-chan Tamagotchi | December 2023 | Cartoon character themed |
| Pekoratchi | December 2023 | Virtual YouTuber themed |
Color Screen Tamagotchi Nano Versions
| Name | Release Date | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Detective Conan Tamagotchi | September 2024 | Color screen, anime themed |
| Hololive Fantasitchi | February 2025 | Color screen, virtual YouTuber themed |
Accessories
Cases
Many people like to put their Tamagotchi Nano in a case. These cases fit all Nano models, except for two special crystal-shaped ones that might be too big for some rubber cases. There are cases themed after different Tamagotchi characters and games.
The cases have a drop-shaped hole so you can see the screen and use the buttons without taking the Tamagotchi out. There’s also a hole on top for the chain and usually one for the speaker. Some cases, like the Gudetama and Pac-Man ones, can stand up on a flat surface.
Hugmy Tamagotchi
These are cute little figures that can hold your Tamagotchi Nano upright on a desk. They’re about 4 inches tall and made of soft plastic. Their arms and legs are shaped to hold the Nano securely. You can buy these figures with a matching Tamagotchi Nano as a set. There are figures for the Jujutsutchi and TinyTAN Tamagotchi.
Plushies
Some Tamagotchi Nanos come with soft toy plushies. You can put the Tamagotchi’s chain around the plushie’s neck to display it. The plushies also have their own chains so you can use them as keychains. The Pekoratchi and Hololive Fantastichi come with character plushies.
Other Accessories
Some Tamagotchi Nanos come with extra goodies:
- The Pocket Usapiyo came with lanyards (straps you can wear around your neck).
- If you pre-ordered the Evatchi from a special store in Japan, you got charms with pictures of monsters from the show.
- The Twistetchi comes with charms based on different dorms in the game.
- There are special lanyards for the Jujutsutchi and Kamen Ridertchi, but they were only sold at specific events or stores.
